City council takes a unified stance on the Olympic bid

Ashley Slovinski and Matt Alonzo
City News Bureau at Loyola University Chicago

The Chicago city council unanimously voted on Wednesday to pass an ordinance authorizing Mayor Daley to sign the Final Host City Contract for the 2016 Olympic games. The contract holds the city’s taxpayers responsible for any deficit caused by the games.

Political unity took center stage as the ordinance, which provides for extensive oversight and transparency, passed with a 49-0 vote and a standing ovation in the council chamber.

According to a recent Tribune poll, public opinion for the Olympic bid has dwindled due to the Host City Contract that has taxpayers footing a potentially unlimited bill for construction and operational overrun. Despite this, most of the aldermen’s comments on the ordinance took the form of congratulatory pats on the back.

“We should honor [Mayor Daley’s] courage and fortitude in moving the city forward to this great moment in our history,” Ald. Edward Burke (14th) said. “But of course what else would we expect from a Chicago Mayor Daley.”

After the vote on the ordinance and show of overwhelming support for the bid, Mayor Daley concluded the discussion by asking the aldermen to “think of the future” and not let political concerns weigh on their decisions.

“It’s not about politics,” the mayor said. “This is not about Richard M. Daley’s legacy, this is about the city of Chicago. The Olympic movement is bigger than me.”
Some aldermen did express previous concerns about the contract but talked at length about how the compromise ordinance addressed all of the issues and ultimately provided the required protection taxpayers were looking for.

“I had some reservations,” Ald. Ray Suarez (31st) said. “But…every concern that the [Civic] Federation touched on the committee had already made sure that the safeguards were in place.”

Most of the aldermen spoke of the economic boost that they believed the games were sure to bring. Ald. Ed Smith (28th) said as many as 72,000 jobs may come to the city as a result, while other aldermen spoke of the increased revenue from tourism dollars and the possibility of raising the city’s currently deteriorating property values.

“I believe that the ordinance we have from [Alderman] Flores today includes every provision that was specified by the Civic Federation in their report in order to be a successful bid,” said Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd).

The International Olympics Committee will select the host city for the 2016 games on October 2, 2009. The three other cities in the running are Tokyo, Madrid, and Rio de Janeiro.